Charles Bridge
Karlův most
The stone bridge of 1357 across the Vltava, lined with thirty statues of saints.
Charles IV laid the bridge’s first stone in 1357, at 5:31 on 9 July, a time chosen for its palindrome of numbers: 1357 9 7 5 31. For four centuries it was the only bridge across the Vltava in Prague.
From the 17th century thirty statues of saints were put along its parapets. Touch the bronze relief of St John of Nepomuk, thrown from the bridge in 1393, and you will come back to Prague.
More in Prague
Old Town SquareThe great square of the Old Town, with the Týn church, the astronomical clock and the Jan Hus memorial.
Astronomical clockMade in 1410: every hour the twelve apostles pass its little windows while Death rings his bell.
Týn ChurchThe Gothic church with two spiky 80-metre towers, behind the houses on the Old Town Square.
Old Town Bridge TowerThe Gothic gate tower at the Old Town end of the Charles Bridge, one of the finest in Europe.
KlementinumThe vast Jesuit college beside the bridge, with a Baroque library hall and an astronomical tower.
JosefovPrague’s Jewish Quarter, with old synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery.
Old-New SynagogueBuilt around 1270, the oldest synagogue in Europe still in use.
RudolfinumThe neo-Renaissance concert hall on the Vltava, home of the Czech Philharmonic.
Powder TowerA Gothic gate tower of 1475 at the start of the Royal Route, once used to store gunpowder.
Prague CastleThe castle on the hill across the river, the largest ancient castle complex in the world; beyond this map.
TramsThe red and cream trams that rattle along the river and across the bridges.
Czech beerCzechs drink more beer per person than anyone; the pilsner was born in Bohemia.